Tailless
by Vianerd
Summary: After being pummeled badly after the happenings of Donkey Kong 64, K. Rool loses something very dear to him.. Written because his tail in that game is beautiful and I needed to logically explain why it not there in later games. WARNING: a bit of blood


_Canon continuity clarification: Games with hints from the TV show, such as Klump being K. Rool's General. Anyhow, enough yammering, and happy readings. And I know that things aren't blood-stained after washed in the ocean. I am guilty of writing that For The Dramaz._

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More dead than alive he slunk inside.

Battered and soaked in salty sea water, the once so proud and mighty Kremling King was now but a pathetic, hurt lizard. He stumbled over his belongings as he took off his drenched singlet and belt, and finally his shoes as well. And that was when he felt it.  
Blood.  
He felt blood, and lots of it. All over his body.  
Sighing, he shuffled over to his throne where he dropped himself, proceeding to lay limply on it, closing his eyes without saying anything. His only sign of life was his chest, which was rapidly moving up and down as he took in quick breaths. He was alone.

"King K'Rool, sir!"  
Klump was making tracks through the hallways of their hideout, having heard from some Kritters that their King had returned. Being ever so loyal, he proposed to meet up with him for a while to chat.

At least, that's what he thought he would've done.

Upon entering the throne room, the portly General got a big, unpleasant surprise at seeing his ruler lay limply on his throne, soaked from head to toe in sea water. He cupped his snout with his hands in shock.  
He stood there for a while, almost as if waiting for him to move. But when he did not, the ever so obedient Klump walked over to the throne and, with help of his strong arms, lifted the battered tyrant up. With one claw under the other's chin, he adjusted the King's head so they were facing each other. Though K. Rool's eyes were still closed, he coughed.  
"Klump?" he muttered.  
Overcome with a sudden urge to reassure his poor old, battered ruler, Klump shushed him. "Shh. Don't worry. I'm right here, your majesty."  
Sighing once more with his eyes still closed, K. Rool dropped his once so proud head.  
"…My back hurts," he muttered. "What's… I can't see it… what's with my tail?"  
Letting go for just a moment, the King's right-hand man carefully laid down his King's body as he turned his gaze to the other's back. But when he did, he got an even bigger shock.  
Where the tail was supposed to be was nothing but a big, dark-red coloured gaping hole, and a large scar ran over the Kremling King's back, all the way over his spine to his nape, all in the same putrid shades of black and crimson. The blood had dried up and was mostly washed away by the sea water by now, but it was still a, for lack of better words, disgusting sight.  
"Dear me, you poor soul…" Klump muttered, more to himself than anyone else. K. Rool attempted to heave himself up from the throne, but he was too tired and hurt to do anything like that. He turned around his head only slightly.  
"What's with my tail?"  
"Your majesty…" Klump swallowed, not sure how to say this. "You… you don't have a tail."

Something broke inside the King. He stared at his General for a short while with the most pathetic expression he could muster, and then broke down crying loudly, all while burying his face in his palms.  
Klump was startled by this sudden outburst, but he neared the King sympathetically. He initially wanted to pat him on the back, but what with that massive scar, it wouldn't have been a good idea at all. Instead, he snuggled up close to his ruler, reaching out to rub snouts. His usually loud, raspy voice turned to a soft, comforting whisper.  
"Shh. Don't cry. Even without a tail, yer still my King."  
Still weeping bitterly, K. Rool shuffled closer to Klump and began nuzzling his snout deep in the other's chest. Sighing a bit, the General rubbed the back of the crying King's head in a tender embrace.  
"It'll heal and you'll be the most beautiful bare-bottomed lizard out there, trust me. And if you don't like goin' around bare-bottomed, I'll make you a replacement tail that'll look so real, people wouldn't think you were."  
K. Rool said next to nothing. At least he had stopped crying and was now peacefully drifting off to sleep in his General's arms, who kept rambling.

But even though he remained silent, a small smile crept upon his lips.


End file.
